ROLAND: And I want to keep it that color because I know I see some of them – they turn gray …

LESLIE: Mm-hmm.

ROLAND: … and I don’t want that.

LESLIE: They turn gray because they dry out from the sun; there’s UV degradation; they tend to, you know, blister and chip and crack. So you really want to make sure that you preserve the moisture in the wood. You want to make sure that you seal it so that it’s not getting excess moisture from the weather and then it’s going to warp and twist.

You basically want to look for something that’s just a natural sealant. You can go with any of the manufacturers – Behr or Flood or Benjamin Moore – something that’s clear, that has a UV protection and something that will help also against mold and mildew growth on it; you know, something that has an antimicrobial built into it as well. And now is the perfect time because you’ve let it season, so you want to do it on especially a good, dry weekend.